This article is part of the Guardian’s World Cup 2014 Experts’ Network, a co-operation between 32 of the best media organisations from the countries who have qualified for the finals in Brazil. theguardian.com is running previews from four countries each day in the run-up to the tournament kicking off on 12 June.

When Serge Aurier was given his international debut in Ivory Coast’s World Cup qualifier against Gambia last June, he did not imagine that he would come so far so quickly. Now this 21-year-old from Ouragahio, a small city in the west of the Ivory Coast, is on his way to Brazil with his country’s most famous son, Didier Drogba, a player with whom he shares a similar background – and maybe, just maybe, a similar destiny.

Like Drogba, who hails from the same region, Aurier left his homeland for France at an early age. He got his football education at Villepinte in Seine—Saint-Denis, starting out as a defensive midfielder, before being signed, along with his brother Christopher, by Lens in 2006. His strong character led to him being appointed the captain of Lens reserves and he signed his first professional contract with the club at the age of 16.

Later that year Lens finished runners-up in the country’s under-16 league and, two years later, they won the under-18s. Aurier was making a name for himself – although that name was Serge the Bison, the sobriquet assigned to him because of the power with which he played. The Ivorian authorities tried to make The Bison an Elephant but Aurier turned down several call-ups from the land of his birth and appeared to have his heart set on representing France, having obtained dual nationality.

From Lens he moved to Toulouse and, on 1 April 2012, he scored his first goal as a professional. If that strike was notable only for academic reasons, his second goal is still remembered as a work of beauty: against Saint Etienne in the second match of the 2012-13 season, Aurier met a high ball with an exquisite volley at the edge of the area and rocketed the ball into the top corner of the net with the outside of his right foot.

Although now deployed as a right-back, Aurier has never lost his taste for attacking, nor his eye for spectacular goals. He scored six and created another six for Toulouse last season in Ligue 1 just, making him one of the most prolific defenders in Europe. It was no surprise when he was nominated as the right-back in the Ligue 1 team of the season.

Then, last year, Aurier decided that he would like to represent Ivory Coast, after all, and the manager, Sabri Lamouchi, had no hesitation in calling him up. His performances this season have shown what a boon his blossoming is. Ivory Coast had long been seeking a reliable alternative to Emmanuel Eboué and Aurier looks like he could become a better player than the former Arsenal defender ever was. Arsenal are among several top European clubs competing for his signature this summer. Aurier is aware of this and that will only increase, if possible, the appetite of this born warrior to perform well in Brazil. He may only have seven caps to his name but he is likely to prove the one impenetrable presence in a decidedly brittle-looking Ivorian defence.

It is fitting, too, that it is in Brazil that he could shoot to global stardom, for the player on whom he has modelled his game is Roberto Carlos. He possesses similar explosive power going forward and although he does not take many free-kicks, he is a formidable threat from corners thanks to his sure timing and mighty leaps. A long and illustrious career seems to be dawning for Aurier.